Best Craig Beam Podcasts (2025)

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The Irish Widow Who Became the Mother of Bourbon (Part 1) 24:16

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19d ago24:16

24:16

Send us a text She was born into a world that didn’t expect much from her—at least not outside the kitchen or the church pew. But behind a dry goods counter in a dusty Kentucky town, she learned the pulse of commerce, the weight of reputation, and the quiet power of watching everything. By fifteen, she’d been matched to a man twice her age—not for …

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The Promise: Lessons in Life and Bourbon with Freddie Johnson 29:00

1M ago29:00

29:00

Send us a text If there is one episode I would want everyone to hear, it would be this episode. While I am proud of every episode, this one holds a special place. There is a message and meaning that everyone, whether you are a bourbon fan or not, should hear. I hope you enjoy it ! In this episode, the delicate art of promise-making is put under the…

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When Two Legends Collide...One Bottle is Born 27:14

2M ago27:14

27:14

Send us a text In the world of whiskey, some bottles are born of tradition, others of innovation—but once in a generation, one emerges from the quiet collision of greatness. This is the story of two icons from opposite sides of the world, each steeped in legacy, who dared to defy convention. One was a master of American bourbon, whose family had pa…

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Nature's Reckoning: Hell Comes to Bardstown 35:46

2M ago35:46

35:46

Send us a text A warm November afternoon, an eerie shift in the wind, and then—chaos. In this episode, we step into the heart of one of the most catastrophic moments in bourbon history: the Heaven Hill fire of 1996. What started as a single spark, fueled by relentless winds, erupted into an unstoppable inferno. Flames engulfed rickhouses filled wit…

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Special Episode: Buffalo Trace and the Flood of 2025 23:11

2M ago23:11

23:11

Send us a text She didn’t come all at once. That would’ve been too easy. No, this time, Mother Nature rose with a quiet vengeance—slow, steady, and unstoppable. First came the wind—tornadoes clawing across Kentucky’s heartland. Then came the rain, wave after wave, day after day, until the rivers could hold no more. The waters rose of Kentucky’s riv…

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Nature's Reckoning: When Mother Nature Lashes Out 31:18

3M ago31:18

31:18

Send us a text For as long as bourbon has rested in Kentucky’s rickhouses, Mother Nature has been the silent partner—nurturing the spirit with each season, yet always waiting to remind distillers who truly holds the reins. In this episode, we step into the heart of bourbon’s battle with the elements, uncovering the moments when nature turned from a…

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5 Ways to Start Eco Training if You're Not at an Eco Gym 7:57

3M ago7:57

7:57

Interested in eco/CLA but stuck in a traditional school? Or maybe you’re frustrated with your progress, want to try something new, but are stuck inside a learning environment you don’t control. Either way, you still have some options. Of course, it’s optimal to run your own club or gym, but you can take ownership of your own learning journey and ge…

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The Lost Bourbon: A Jurassic Tale of a Whiskey That Time Forgot 22:02

3M ago22:02

22:02

Send us a text In the shadow of Kentucky’s rolling hills, two brothers with roots stretching deep into bourbon history set out to revive a whiskey long thought extinct. Armed with nothing but their family’s legacy and an empty jug tied to a tale of ingenuity, they embarked on a journey that defied time itself. Their quest took them from forgotten a…

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Why the Practical Karate Movement isn't Improving Karate 14:05

4M ago14:05

14:05

My friend Daniel Marino made a critical observation about the karate community: “It’s about looking good, not learning how to fight.” Now, if you’re a part of the so-called “practical karate” or “practical bunkai” movement, you might think that you are exempt from this statement…but you’re not. Dan wasn’t just talking about the most traditional of …

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Training Review #3: David Ooi's Awesome Ecological Jiu Jitsu Seminar 22:55

4M ago22:55

22:55

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.combatlearning.com Today I analyze a jiu jitsu seminar conducted by David Ooi in Singapore. In the process, a lot of good little nuances surface that I don’t often get to talk about in other places. Other Paid Articles You Don’t Want to Miss……

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Stolen Spirits: The Bourbon Heist That Became a Legend 32:01

4M ago32:01

32:01

Send us a text The cases were there—until they weren’t. One morning, a routine inventory check at a storied Kentucky distillery turned into the discovery of a heist that no one saw coming. The missing bourbon wasn’t just any whiskey; it was THE bourbon, the kind collectors whisper about and connoisseurs hunt for. How could so much of it vanish with…

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CLA is Not Positional Sparring... 9:01

4M ago9:01

9:01

Positional sparring is consistent with the constraints-led approach (CLA) to coaching—and by extension, scalable live training (SLT)—but positional sparring tends to have a less flexible scope of practice. So whereas all positional sparring can be CLA, the CLA is not simply positional sparring: it can be much more or much less, depending on the nec…

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Bourbon: Legends From The Trail Season 2 Trailer 5:20

4M ago5:20

5:20

Send us a text (Season 2 begins March 3, 2025) Last season… we took a journey to discover LEGENDS We uncovered the legend of how bourbon came to Kentucky—why this state, why this water, and why it became the beating heart of America’s spirit. We met Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr., the legend who shaped modern bourbon. We hunted the White Whale of Bourbon—…

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REVIEW #2: Josh Beam & Craig Hutchison's Lasso Passing Game 10:00

5M ago10:00

10:00

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.combatlearning.com Today I’m reviewing a video by YouTuber Josh Beam BJJ, with Craig Hutchison from Carpe Diem Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu helping him assess and develop a passing game. This episode explores the vital considerations we need to make about how we manipulate constraints, if sma…

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(Video) Training Review #1: Converting YOU to Sport Taekwondo with FACTS and LOGIC 44:22

5M ago44:22

44:22

Today, I review and criticize (in good humor) some videos I found on YouTube. I’m analyzing the utility of several drills and games related to developing lead leg kicking tactics in taekwondo, a.k.a. cut kick and cancelling. Relevant to kickboxing and beyond. But I’d like my awesome followers to get involved, too! * Found an interesting training vi…

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Echoes from the Holler: A Legend Rises from the Ashes 28:23

7M ago28:23

28:23

Send us a text In the heart of Tennessee, tucked away in a remote holler, a secret lost for over 150 years waited to reshape the world of whiskey. When this story came to light nearly eight years ago, it sent shockwaves through the spirits industry, further explaining how the pivotal distinction between Kentucky Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey came t…

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Sport Psychology, Ecological Cognition, & More w/ Duarte Araujo 1:09:04

7M ago1:09:04

1:09:04

Major ecological researcher, Dr. Duarte Araujo, joins us on combat learning to discuss all things ecological cognition and sport psychology. Other topics include… * Knowledge of vs knowledge about * Technique vs task space * Repetition without repetition * Affordances * Decision-making and sport expertise * Representative learning design Dr. Araujo…

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Shadows of the Still: The Legend of Big Six 27:31

7M ago27:31

27:31

Send us a text In this gripping installment of Bourbon: Legends from the Trail, we take you deep into the misty hills of Kentucky for a tale that’s equal parts thrilling and thought-provoking. While the moonshiners of yore have captured imaginations for generations, today’s story flips the perspective to the other side of the law. Meet the men task…

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Shadows of the Still: The Devil's Dew 24:28

7M ago24:28

24:28

Send us a text In this captivating episode of Bourbon: Legends from the Trail, we step into the moonlit shadows of Appalachia to uncover the rebellious history of moonshine—bourbon’s untamed brother. From its roots as a clandestine craft born of necessity to its undeniable influence on American culture, moonshine has always walked a fine line betwe…

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Crown of Shadows: The Prohibition King's Rise and Fall (part 2) 23:42

7M ago23:42

23:42

Send us a text In this week's episode of Bourbon: Legends from the trail, we will hear part 2 of Crown of Shadows: The Prohibition King’s Rise and Fall. As George’s journey takes him to Cincinnati, he steps into a world where wealth and corruption go hand in hand. Surrounded by marble, gold, and opulence, he quickly rises to be the King of the Unde…

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Five Views of the Fundamentals of Martial Arts 19:58

8M ago19:58

19:58

Everyone agrees that the fundamentals are the essence of martial arts skill, but nobody can agree on what they are exactly. In this article, I outline and briefly comment on five different conceptions of martial arts fundamentals. * Fundamentals as Basic Techniques * Fundamentals as Principles of Play * Fundamentals as Basics + Principles * Fundame…

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Crown of Shadows: The Prohibition King's Rise and Fall (part 1) 22:50

8M ago22:50

22:50

Send us a text Transport yourself to the smoky speakeasies of 1920s Chicago, where one man seized the chaos of Prohibition to build an empire unlike any other. He wasn’t a household name, but his cunning rivaled the most infamous crime lords. From a humble start, he rose to wealth and power, manipulating the law with brazen genius and a twisted loy…

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Barrels of Valor: Where Bourbon and Heroes Rise 23:05

8M ago23:05

23:05

Send us a text On this episode of Bourbon: Legends from the Trail, we delve into a story as iconic and enduring as the bourbon itself, a tale that bridges past and present with astonishing intensity. It’s a legend forged in battle, bound by camaraderie, and carried through to the distillery. Most might recognize echoes of this saga from Hollywood o…

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There are no Eco Games. [Audio] 13:08

8M ago13:08

13:08

Information processing and ecological dynamics are both theories of perception and learning. They explain your relationship to the environment and how that affects your internal states and vice versa. As such, they inform training methodologies, but they are not methodologies in themselves. Or, put another way, they have clear implications for how …

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The White Whale of Bourbon 20:05

8M ago20:05

20:05

Send us a text In this episode, prepare to delve into a legend that transcends whiskey itself - an elusive treasure whispered about only among the most dedicated collectors. It's a tale of passion, pursuit, and the mysterious bottle that has captivated bourbon enthusiasts for decades. In the 1990's, the world was gripped by a frenzy, but little did…

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The Wild West Leaves its Mark on Bardstown 27:50

8M ago27:50

27:50

Send us a text In this episode, we journey to a town that most people do not even know exists, where rolling hills hide a secret that changed American history. Beneath the quiet facade lies the story of a young woman whose sons would wreak havoc on not only their town, but the future bourbon capital of the world. Their wild antics and lawless deeds…

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The Birth of a Legend 27:25

9M ago27:25

27:25

Send us a text In this week's episode, we will uncover the untold story of bourbon's most influential figure - a mystery icon who revolutionized the industry and earned him the central spot on bourbon's Mt. Rushmore. His name is on bottles around the world, but the dramatic tale of rivalries, financial turmoil, and relentless innovation behind his …

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The Skeleton Key to Unlock Bourbon's Darkest Secret 25:45

9M ago25:45

25:45

Send us a text Imagine a heist so bold, so meticulously planned, that it left everyone stunned, not just by the crime but by the sheer audacity of it. A tale of greed deception, and betrayal that shook an entire industry to its core. The story you're about to hear dives deep into a legend you may have never heard of - a man whose actions sent shock…

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How Bourbon Came to Kentucky 15:57

9M ago15:57

15:57

Send us a text Imagine the misty hills of Kentucky, where towering rickhouses stand as silent sentinels, holding secrets that stretch back over two centuries. What if I told you that a series of unexpected events - triggered by some of the most influential figures in American history - led to the birth of something truly iconic? A rebellion, an esc…

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What are the Fundamentals of Striking? w/ Scott Sievewright 1:36:06

9M ago1:36:06

1:36:06

MMA coach and ecological approach to martial arts pioneer, Scott Sievewright, returns to Combat Learning to discuss his newly published academic paper on ecological dynamics for MMA and his evolving conception of martial arts ideas such as “the fundamentals.” We also talk about problems of practice in the constraints-led approach, especially how di…

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You Don't Have to Give Your Students Feedback (Live Q&A) 1:02:58

9M ago1:02:58

1:02:58

The first combat learning live Q&A! We discuss… * How you don’t have to intervene during training and you don’t have to generate feedback for students if it’s not necessary. * The power of external instructions, especially with young children acquiring movement skills. * CLA for coaching poomsae and kata. * Overcorrecting and junk coaching. …and mo…

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Bourbon: Legends from the Trail Trailer 2:58

9M ago2:58

2:58

Send us a text Get ready to embark on a journey through the rich, intoxicating history of bourbon like never before! As a guide on the bourbon trail for five years, I've heard legends and stories from the heart of bourbon country, and now I'm sharing them with you. This podcast uncovers untold stories of bourbon's past and present, pulling back the…

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Bruce Lee's Tao of Aliveness [Audio Essay] 30:11

9M ago30:11

30:11

This is an audio version of a previous combat learning article, Tao of Aliveness. Bruce Lee superfans have to pretend about his fighting prowess because, to them, that’s what makes him legendary. It bolsters the legitimacy and mystique of his jeet kune do system. Jeet kune do, as Lee taught it, is the chief artifact of his legacy in the eyes of mar…

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A Constraints-led Approach to Combat Athlete Rehab w/ Patrick Jacobs 1:25:54

10M ago1:25:54

1:25:54

DPT, licensed physical therapist, CSCS, and fellow martial artist Patrick Jacobs joins me to unpack rehabilitation and injury prevention for martial artists from a constraints-led approach to PT practice. Want to upgrade your coaching? Bring your CLA coaching and ecological dynamics knowledge to the next level and upgrade to the premium combat lear…

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There is No Perfect Technique. [Audio Essay] 25:28

11M ago25:28

25:28

The original There is No Perfect Technique article can be found here. It’s the air we breathe from our first day of school to our last day in the workforce and beyond… Repetition, repetition, repetition. Practice makes perfect. Perfect practice makes better. Everywhere we’re washed over with some form of messaging about how to learn that involves d…

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Live Striking Practice: Safe & Productive CLA Training w/ Adam Singer 1:02:01

11M ago1:02:01

1:02:01

Adam Singer joins us again to discuss how he balances safety and productivity using the constrains-led approach to teach 100% live sparring classes from the ground up, beginner to advanced. Remember to sign up for the FREE Combat Learning Newsletter. You'll get an introduction to motor learning for martial artists PDF, a transfer of learning cheat …

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Bruce Lee, Aliveness, and the JKD Problem w/ Adam Singer 32:55

11M ago32:55

32:55

Long-time MMA coach, SGB affiliate, and martial arts veteran Adam Singer talks about the old days of Jeet Kune Do, the introduction of MMA, and the development of aliveness from Bruce Lee through Matt Thornton to today. Remember to sign up for the FREE Combat Learning Newsletter. You'll get an introduction to motor learning for martial artists PDF,…

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Embodied Cognition and Martial Arts w/ Sony Sahota 1:37:28

1y ago1:37:28

1:37:28

Today I'm joined Sony Sahota, owner of Praxis Gym and a teacher of judo, wrestling, and jiu jitsu.In this episode, we discuss how Sony approaches training through the lens of embodied cognition, specifically enactivism. Sony recounts how it changed his entire approach to training, and then we move into a deep philosophical discussion about embodied…

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Chess Rating to Assess Progress in Combat Sports w/ Kabir Bath 24:56

1y ago24:56

24:56

Josh and Kabir discuss the elo chess rating system and how it might provide an approachable way to assess skill development across belt levels — and end tournament sandbagging permanently. Where to Find Kabir... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kabirbath/Website: https://kaboombjj.com/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this wit…

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Coaching Coaches Ecologically w/ Kabir Bath 35:01

1y ago35:01

35:01

Kabir unpacks how he coaches his coaches to do what he does -- ecologically. Visit combatlearning.substack.com to start reading now. Where to Find Kabir...Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kabirbath/Website: https://kaboombjj.com/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visi…

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Learning thru Play and Connected Coaching w/ Kabir Bath 58:32

1y ago58:32

58:32

Today I’m joined by BJJ black belt Kabir Bath. Kabir is one of the early success stories in the ecological jiu jitsu movement, and he has the distinction of a commercially successful gym, too—especially a large children’s program. In this episode, we explore the value and effectiveness of learning through play, as well as the vitalness of coaches c…

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A Constraints-led Approach to Preparing Your Body for Combat w/ Raul Sanchez Garcia 29:42

1y ago29:42

29:42

Dr. Garcia joins us one final time to discuss a few very interesting topics. First, we talk briefly about donor sports and the part they play in building better skills for your main sport. Finally, Raul helps us understand how we can use CLA not just for training in the sport itself but also a preparedness that comes with greater skill in stress ma…

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False Assumptions of Kata-based Training w/ Raul Sanchez Garcia 29:30

1y ago29:30

29:30

Dr. Garcia joins us again today to unpack the false assumptions that lie beneath the kata-based training system and traditional martial arts. He shows how early ecological researchers such as Nicholai Bernstein blows up the conventional wisdom of traditional martial arts. He then spends the bulk of this episode comparing and contrasting the differe…

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Kata were Insignificant in Historical Warring Japan w/ Raul Sanchez Garcia 26:31

1y ago26:31

26:31

Today I'm joined by Dr. Raul Sanchez Garcia, a sport science lecturer at the University Politécnica of Madrid, Spain, martial artist, and Ecological Dynamics thinker. Most researchers in the ecological approach come from a psychology background. Dr. Garcia is unique in that he approaches Ecological Dynamics from the vantage point of ethnography, wh…

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Mobility Training for Martial Arts (NOT Yoga) w/ Matt Phili 55:24

1+ y ago55:24

55:24

Today I'm joined by Matt Phili, a mobility training coach and founder of Primal Mobility. Whether a grappler or striker, most martial artists need greater mobility. However, most of the mobility routines you see around Instagram really won't cut it, and stretching isn't necessarily good mobility work either -- at least on its own. In this episode, …

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Should you do pad combinations? (9 Months of CLA for Kickboxing) w/ Pedro Sierra 20:36

1+ y ago20:36

20:36

In this episode, Pedro updates us on his kickboxing program. Then we move into a deep discussion on combinations, affordances, and elaborate pad work in striking sports. We return to the external focus of attention subject briefly before digging into some of the issues Pedro and his coaches experience applying CLA to their classes on a daily basis.…

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Student Wins ADCC Open after training the Ecological Approach w/ Pedro Sierra 26:02

1+ y ago26:02

26:02

Today, Pedro Sierra returns to the podcast to update us on his program in two parts. Before understanding Ecological Dynamics, Sierra MMA had lackluster results. Since implementing the constraints-led approach, Sierra MMA has begun to see much more success. In fact, thanks to this change in training methodology, one of coach Pedro's students even w…

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Use CLA to Individualize Muay Thai Sessions w/ Emil Fitoussey 28:26

1+ y ago28:26

28:26

In this episode, Emil reveals his approach to game design. Then we move quickly into the ways to individualize sessions to each learner, including some principles of session design. Overall, Emil keeps the generic conditioning exercises out of skill training. Strength and conditioning is something you can do on your own time with coaches specialize…

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Safe Muay Thai Sparring for Day 1 of Training w/ Emil Fitoussey 37:18

1+ y ago37:18

37:18

In this episode, Emil continues to explain how he does the constraints-led approach to Muay Thai. Other ways to control for intensity/going too hard How to introduce leg kicks and leg kick defense through sparring games What are the fundamentals of Muay Thai as a sport? How can we understand it at a dynamic and foundational level? How constraints c…

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Ecological Approach to Muay Thai Kickboxing w/ Emil Fitoussey 28:25

1+ y ago28:25

28:25

Today I'm joined by Emil Fitoussey, a professional Muay Thai coach out of Nacka Dojo in Sweden. Over the past year, Emil has transitioned his partially ecological Muay Thai program into a 100% ecological Muay Thai program. In this episode, he recounts his journey into Ecological Dynamics and the constraints-led approach. Then, we talk about how he …